Survival of the Fittest
by Alley Arlington
Summary: A group of extremists release a disease into the US that is killing everyone. Logan has the cure, but he needs to mass produce it before the extremists find him and kill him. Sorry, sucky summary. :/ This is not Jagan.
1. Brianne

Logan's P. O. V.

I glance out of the window. All I can see is swirling, dry dust. Nobody in their right mind would dare venture out into that. I have to work quickly. Soon, the power grid will turn off, and all of my work will be lost. I am in an old abandoned building. I am working to find a cure for a rare disease that was released into the United States by a group of extremists. Their goal is to wipe out all of humankind and create a superior race. They have dammed up all of the water in the states, preventing us from using it for power. Some of the elders died right away. The only ones that survived were the ones that found potable water. However, the extremists found out, and they shut off our main power supply. The air is too dusty to use solar power. All of our electronics were disabled by an electromagnetic pulse. The emergency grid uses gasoline. It is one of the reasons that we are still alive. Slowly, it is running out of power. When it is completely drained, we will be forced to succumb to the disease. If we have electricity, we have the power. Some people managed to flee the country. So far, the extremists are only in the US. If they catch someone trying to flee, they have them publicly executed. Fewer and fewer people are escaping.

I study the speck of blood under my microscope. Bacteria squirms, multiplying before my very eyes. This is a strain of bacteria that I have never seen before in all of my years as a doctor. I have managed to find the vaccine for it, but I need power to manufacture it. I have only 100 vaccines. Almost the whole United States is affected. I need to get out of this country so that I can mass produce the cure.

Brianne's P. O. V.

I stop behind the bushes by the guard tower. There are three guards on duty, two of which have dogs. Spotlights scan the area. If something moves while in the spotlight, the machine guns are activated, and that thing is killed. I've seen it happen many times before. Slowly, I creep forward. I hear rowdy laughter and realize that the guards are drunk. Finally, a stroke of luck! I wait until the spotlights pass, then dart forward. I take cover behind a tree. The next spotlight passes, and I sprint until I am at the fence. The fence is about ten feet tall, with triple strand barbed wire at the top. Very few people get past the fence. I take a deep breath and start the treacherous climb to freedom.

Logan's P. O. V

I sneer out of the lab carrying the vaccines. I am going to deliver all but one to my friends in the hospital. I need one so that I can recreate more without starting from scratch. I run to the hospital, deliver the vaccines, and then make my way towards the border. There are fences blocking Canada and Mexico's borders. The water is now so polluted that nobody dares to try and swim in it, for fear of becoming sicker. My lab is in Arizona, right next to the Mexico border. There are usually five guards patrolling each section of the fence, but there have been fewer and fewer attempts to leave. Perhaps the security will be lax. I pick up my pace until I am almost running. At last, I can see the fence. I slow, then duck behind some nearby foliage. There are three guards, two of which have dogs. I hold my breath and wait to see if more guards appear. They don't, so I creep forward quickly, avoiding the spotlights. I am almost to the fence when the dogs start barking.

Disease Victim's P. O. V.

I have had the disease for nearly a week. I have survived longer than most. Most die within days. My limbs are weak, and I have pus filled sores all over my body. I am one of the lucky ones. The unfortunate ones that have already died claimed that the disease was eating them from the inside out. It starts with the muscles, then attacks the bones. Finally, it attacks the organs. My muscles are completely gone. I always have a dull ache in my bones. At first, I was crippled with pain. Now, I barely feel anything. The end is coming. I know and accept that. Even as the disease attacks my bones, I hold on. I fight. No matter how much pain I go through, I will fight until the bitter end. So bring it on disease. Bring it on!

Brianne's P. O. V.

I freeze as the dogs start barking. Hopefully they just see another animal. "Shut up!" one of the guards growls. I breath a sigh of relief and continue climbing. Only five more feet to go! I stop and catch my breath. Slowly, I scan the foliage for signs of other guards. I am almost ready to start climbing again when I see him. He is crouched low, and I almost miss him, but he shifts his weight. It is a slight movement, but a movement nonetheless. I freeze. He is at the fence, waiting for the perfect moment to climb. He doesn't see me. I hear one of the dogs barking and see it straining at its leash. I hold my breath and pray that the guard won't come investigate. The man pushes himself up against the fence, almost forcing me to lose my grip. I quietly hiss, and the man looks up. He seems surprised to see someone on the fence. I motion for him to be quiet. He nods towards the guards and I realize that it is safe to climb again. Quickly, I shimmy up the fence. The man starts climbing as well, and he soon catches up to me. I am surprised. He climbs effortlessly, not even thinking about what he is doing. Soon, we are both at the barbed wire. He holds the strands down and climbs over. I do the same. I am about to lift my leg over the fence when the first shot rings out.

Logan's P. O. V.

I am almost to the ground when I hear the shot. I look back up the fence. The woman I met is still on the fence, getting ready to pull her leg over the barbed wire. She is frozen, terrified that the guards had shot at something. I look back and see a dead animal on the ground. So that's why was shot! I motion for the woman to keep climbing. At last, she starts moving again. She lifts her leg over with considerable grace, then starts to climb down. She stops for a moment, and the fence chain rattles. I hold my breath, praying that the guards didn't notice. The dogs start barking again. This time, the guards investigate. The woman drops the last five feet to the ground. I watch as her ankle turns. She cries out once, then clamps her mouth shut as she realizes her mistake. The guards whirl and manage to squeeze off one shot before falling to the ground. The woman jerks, and for a second, I think that she has been shot. The guards get up and walk away. Slowly, she gets up and sprints over to me. I let out a sigh of relief. It looks like she is okay, but then I realize that she is limping. When she is hidden, she collapses by me. I nudge her. She doesn't move.


	2. Abandoned

**Hey, three comments in one day! Its a new record! Haha that makes me sound really pathetic... Anyways, new chapter in less than a week! Im kinda proud of myself. Keep up the reviews, and another will be on the way! James will be in the next chapter I promise. This chapter is kinda boring, so sorry about that. Anyways...**

**Disclaimer: I dont own BTR.  
**

Brianne's P. O. V.

I am hanging onto the fence, slowly making my way down. I have five feet left to go. Carefully, I get a good grip owns stop to catch my breath. The fence rattles. I hear voices and realize that the guards are coming to investigate. I quickly drop to the ground, crying out when my ankle twists. There is a shot, and a crippling pain opens up in my calf. I flinch, then stop moving. At last, the guards walk away. I get up and sprint to the man, ignoring my bleeding calf. My hurt ankle burns like fire, but it can support weight. I don't think that it is broken. As soon as I am completely invisible from the fence, I collapse and pass out.

I wake to the sensation of ice cold water being dropped onto my face. Slowly, I open my eyes and see the man from earlier. "Are you okay?" he asks me. I groan. My leg is throbbing, and so is my ankle.

"How long have I been out?" I manage to croak out.

"About ten minutes. Are you okay?"

"I guess so. What's your name?"

"Logan. Yours?"

"Brianne."

"Now, answer honestly. Are you okay? I saw you limping."

"I don't know," I answer honestly. Slowly, I pull off my shoe. My ankle is swollen and bruised, but there is no bone sticking out. At least it is not broken. My calf is another story. The bullet only grazed it. However, it is still bleeding. I can feel the warm, sticky blood running down my leg. Gingerly, I pull up my pant leg. There is a large whole in my leg. Logan gasps.

"What happened?"

"The guards didn't exactly miss," I grit my teeth.

"Can I see it? I am a doctor." I reluctantly let Jim examine the wound. After about five minutes, he pulls a bottle out of his bag. It is a bottle of medicine. He carefully pours some onto my leg. The skin steams, and a new patch of skin grows over the open wound. It is pink and shiny, not unlike a burn, but it is better than an open wound. At least it isn't bleeding any more. "Now, how is your ankle?"

"I think I sprained it. It's not broken, at least, I don't think it is," I babbled. Gently, Logan rotates my ankle.

"Does this hurt?" I shake my head. He pokes and prods at my swollen ankle.

"Well, it certainly isn't broken. Can you put any weight on it?" I stand up and walk around. My ankle is stiff, but it is not as sore as earlier. "Any pain?"

"No, it's just a little stiff."

"That's good. We need to get moving. Why were you trying to cross the fence?"

"The rest of my family is dead," I sniffle. Logan immediately looks sorry for asking. "They all got the disease. There was no way to save them."

"I'm so sorry."

"It can't be helped. There's nothing left in the United States but pain and suffering. I needed to leave before I got the disease."

"I understand completely. I need to get out of the country so that I can mass produce the cure for the disease."

"Wait, you found the cure?"

"Yes, but I need power to mass produce it."

"Where are you going to go?"

"Probably Europe. I just need to get away from this continent."

"What about the extremists? Do they know that you have the cure?"

"I hope not. If they do, I'm sure that they will try to kill me."

"We should probably get going now."

"Yeah. Let's go." We start walking. Logan seems to know where he is going, but I have no idea where we are. "I have a friend about two miles away from here. He has a boat."

"We are going to Europe by boat?" I ask incredulously.

"We are going to get to an airport by boat, then we will fly to Europe." I fall silent. It makes sense.

"Who is your friend?"

"His name is James. He moved to Mexico after the outbreak started." We walk in silence for a while.

"How much longer?" I ask, trying to keep the pain out of my voice. My ankle is throbbing, making it hard to focus on anything but the pain. I start to limp, praying that he won't notice.

"We probably have another mile to go."

"That's not so bad," I grit my teeth and keep walking. Soon, my breath is coming in short, ragged gasps. I try not to whimper, but a pitiful sound rises in my throat. I fight it down, then cry out as I trip over a limb. Logan turns in time to see me falling. I throw my arms out and manage to catch myself. He offers me his hand. I take it and use it to pull myself up.

"Are you okay? What happened?"

"I'm fine. I tripped over a limb."

"Can you keep walking?" Gingerly, I get up and put my weight on my ankle. Thankfully, I stay upright.

"Yes. Will James be okay with me coming?"

"I'm sure he'll be fine with it," Logan says, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. I let out a sigh of relief. I don't know what I would have done if James had thrown me out of his house. "Are you okay to go on now?"

"Yeah." We walk for another five minutes in silence. "Do you have any family back in the US?" Logan stiffens. "I'm sorry, is this a sensitive subject?" Logan stops, then sighs. I can see the pain in his eyes.

"You have the right to know. My mother and father are still in the United States. We haven't talked in several years," he replies bitterly. I am immediately sorry for bringing it up. Logan notices my look. "I'm sorry, it's just that my parents and I have never been on good terms, not even when I was younger." A small tear trickles from the corner of Logan's eye. He wipes at it, then turns away. I lean against a tree, taking the weight off of my ankle. A couple of seconds later, Logan turns around. "Let's go." His voice is rougher, and his eyes are puffy.

"I'm sorry. I never should have brought it up..." I trail off.

"It's all right. We are almost to James' house." Sure enough, about five minutes later, we come across a house.

Logan's P. O. V.

As we enter the clearing, James' house comes into view. It appears to be abandoned. A wave of panic rushes through me. What if we came all of this way for nothing? Slowly, we walk up to the door and knock. There is no answer. "Was he expecting us?" Brianne asks.

"Yeah, I told him that it would be today," I reply, hot tears starting to burn the corners of my eyes. Brianne's breath is coming in short gasps. I can see the panic in her eyes. "Calm down, I'm sure he's just being cautious," I reassure her, but I am worried myself. It is not like James to do this type of thing. I hear a quiet sob and realize that Brianne is crying. "Shhh." She gulps, but stops crying. I walk up to the door and jiggle the handle. It is unlocked. Taking a deep breath, I open the door and walk inside. My worst fear has just come true. The house is abandoned.

**So, was it as bad as I thought? Please review! :)**


	3. James! :D

Logan's P. O. V:

I walk farther in, searching for some sign that James still lives here. I am about to walk out of the door when I see a flash of color. A yellow sticky note! I run over to it and quickly read the message. There is a simple message: behind you. I whirl around, only to come face to face with the tall, hazel eyed brunette. "Gotcha!" he laughs, grabbing my shoulders. I can see Brianne in the corner, a twinkle in her eyes. She knew that James was behind me the entire time!

"Sorry, but I couldn't resist," she chuckles.

"Haha, very funny," I say sarcastically. She looks crestfallen. "I'm sorry for snapping," I apologize quickly. She smiles.

"I was just teasing you. Why are you so worried about offending me?"

"N-n-n-no reason," I stammer. James stares at me. I never stutter, unless I'm nervous or embarrassed. I can tell that he is going to get me by myself soon. I am not wrong.

"Where's the bathroom?" Brianne asks. James shows her.

"So, what was that about?"

"What was what about?" I ask, feigning ignorance.

"You like her, don't u?"

"What, me? No, why would I like her? Bleep blop bloop," I trail off.

"I knew it!" James crows.

"I don't like her!" I blush.

"Then you won't care if I go after her?" My eyes glint angrily.

"No, not at all," I struggle to keep my voice steady. Sierra reappears.

"When are we leaving?" she asks.

"In a little bit. Wanna go visit the other room?" James asks, wiggling his eyebrows. In the blink of an eye, Brianne has crossed the room and slapped him soundly across the cheek. I hold back a snicker. I have to admit, she has spunk. I admire that.

"Don't. Ever. Say. That. Again," Sierra hisses. I chuckle.

"She told you!" I manage to gasp. James frowns.

"Yeah, whatever," he says, annoyed. I simply laugh.

James' P. O. V:

I know Logan like the back of my hand. It is really obvious when he is lying. I know he likes Brianne. It's obvious. I see it in his eyes every time he looks at her. The last time I saw him like that was when he was looking at his old girlfriend. She died in a car accident. He tried to save her, but she lost too much blood. He never really got over her. For a while, he was suicidal. Those were dark days. Now, he has a purpose to live. Brianne makes him laugh, something I haven't seen him do in years. "Come on, we need to leave," Logan says, somewhat impatiently.

"All right, the boat is around back," I motion with my arm. Logan and Brianne follow me. My old speedboat is docked at the pier. "All aboard!" I yell. We all clamber on, and I start the engine. "There's an airport about ten miles down. We should be able to make it by morning.

"Perfect," Logan smiles, getting comfortable. Brianne follows his example. I turn on the motor and start the trip to the airport.

Brianne's P. O. V:

The boat seats are fairly comfortable, and I fall asleep quickly. The next thing I know, my arm is being shaken. "Come on, lazy bones. We're here," Logan smiles. I get up and stretch, trying to get the blood flowing again. My legs are numb, so I have to walk around on the boat until I get the circulation going. Logan helps me back onto solid ground. "The airport is about a quarter of a mile from here, isn't it?" Logan asks. James nods his head, then starts walking. I sigh and follow James. My ankle is stiff, but it loosens up as we walk. At last, we reach the airport. It is rundown, but I can see the gleaming planes on the runway. We enter the building.

"Where are you going?" the person behind the desk asks.

"We need three tickets to Europe," Logan explains.

"What class?"

"Whatever is cheapest," James cuts in. The clerk turns to her computer.

"Three coach class tickets it is," she says, handing us our tickets. We walk to the bay indicated and board the plane. The plane is empty, besides the crew. Not exactly surprising. We take our seats and wait for the plane to take off. The pilot's voice crackles through the speakers.

"Everyone, fasten your seat belts. The flight will begin momentarily." We all sit down and pull the restraints taut. In about five minutes, we are airborne. The takeoff is smooth, and soon we settle back into our seats. Before long, I have dozed off again.

Logan's P. O. V:

Brianne's head falls against my shoulder. I look over, only to see that she is sleeping again. I sigh and get comfortable. Only a few more hours, and we can go home! I look over at James. He is looking at Brianne and I with a melancholy look. Usually, James is a ladies man, but with the epidemic, there haven't been a lot of ladies. He catches me looking and gives me a thumbs up. I blush and look away. I am just settling down again when the plane does a barrel roll. "Incoming missiles. Grab a parachute and get ready to jump!" the pilot's alarmed voice yells. I shake Brianne awake.

"Come on! We have to get a parachute!" Brianne states at me, still trying to clear the sleep from her eyes. I pull her towards the parachutes. Slowly, she follows me, not yet aware of what is happening. James already has his parachute strapped on. He is standing by the emergency door.

"Hurry up!" he yells. I quickly snap a parachute on, then help Brianne with hers. I thank God for my interest in skydiving. We are about to open the hatch when the plane explodes around us.


	4. Brianne's Worst Fear

**Hey, thanks for all fof the comments! You guys are amazing! Track is over, so I should be able to update more often. There's a new poll on my page concerning this story, so if you would take it, I would be really grateful. I'm interested in what you think will happen. Read and review please! :)**

**Disclaimer: I have absolutely nothing to do with BTR, much to everyone's relief. **

James' P. O. V:

The concussion from the blast knocks me unconscious. I wake up, only to find myself falling. The ground is hurtling towards me at an alarming rate. Quickly, I pull the parachute cord. My parachute explodes out of the pack, jerking me to a stop. I start to float down slowly. I can see Logan and Brianne floating above me. Brianne is deathly pale, and Logan never takes his eyes off of her. "Are you guys okay?" I call up to them.

"Im fine!" Logan yells back. "Brianne is losing a lot of blood though." I can hear the panic in his voice. If Logan has the right tools, he should be able to patch Brianne up, but where is he going to find tools? The ground is approaching. Finally, our feet hit solid ground. We struggle to get out of our parachutes. Logan helps Brianne get out of hers. We are in the middle of the wilderness.

"Come on, we need to move! They probably saw our parachutes!" I urge them on.

"Hold on! Brianne's hurt!" Logan snaps. I look back. Brianne's leg is almost completely severed. Six inches above her kneecap is a bloody mess. I can see the bones and tendons in her leg. Blood is pouring out of her leg. "We need to stop the bleeding!" Logan yells. His eyes are clouded with tears. Slowly, he reaches into his bag. He pulls out a vial of liquid, then proceeds to pour the liquid over her wound. The wound steams, and new skin immediately grows over the gaping hole. Brianne is passed out, her face deathly pale. Her chest is not moving.

"Logan, she's not breathing!" I scream. Logan is already doing chest compressions.

"Come on Brianne! Don't leave me! I need you!" Logan sobs, pressing violently on her chest. After another minute, he stops. "She's gone," Logan sobs, lying across her still body. I hear branches cracking. I whirl around. A beautiful woman is standing in the clearing, watching Logan.

"She is still alive," she says. Logan gasps. "My name is Jenna."

"Can you save her?" Logan asks, a spark of hope lighting up his eyes.

"Yes, but I prefer to work alone," she explains. Logan scrambles up.

"Okay. Come on James, let's go," he sniffles, walking towards me. I wait until he is by my side, then walk away. I see the beautiful woman kneeling beside Brianne's prone body. I tear my eyes away and continue walking. At last, we enter another clearing. We both sit down. "Do you think that she will save her?"

"I don't know Logan. I just don't know."

Jenna's P. O. V:

I am working in my house when I hear the explosion. I rush out and see parachutes floating down into the clearing. When they land, I can immediately tell that one of them is hurt. Sure enough, the girl's leg is almost severed. I have seen many wounds in my time, but this is one of the worst. I watch as one of the men pours a vial of liquid over the wound. Almost immediately, new skin grows back, and the bleeding stops. I can tell that she has lost too much blood. The man desperately starts chest compressions, but her heart is too weak. She needs my help, and quickly. I step forward as soon as the man stops the compressions. "She's still alive. My name is Jenna."

"Can you save her?"

"Yes, but I prefer to work alone." The men walk away. I kneel down next to the girl's frail body. Her heartbeat is almost nonexistent. I take out a syringe full of adrenaline that I always carry in case of emergencies, then inject it straight into her chest. Her body jerks, then she gasps. I give her some herbs to chew. "Lay still, the herb will start working soon."

"Huh? What happened?"

"You've lost a lot of blood, but the herb will soon fix that. It's really rare, only found in this part of the country."

"Where am I, exactly?"

"You're on the border of Asia and Europe." She sighs.

"That's where Logan wanted to go!" she gasps.

"If I can ask, why?" Her expression becomes guarded.

"Who are you, and what do you want?"

"I am Jenna. I just saved your life. How do you feel?"

"I feel better. My leg still hurts though." I gently feel the new skin.

"There doesn't appear to be any shrapnel caught in the wound."

"Where's Logan?"

"I'll go get him."

"No, I want to come with you!"

"Okay," I say, helping her up. We walk in the direction that I saw them leaving. Sure enough, we find them in a nearby clearing.

"Brianne!" the man that I assume is Logan calls.

"Im fine, thanks to Jenna," she smiles.

"Thank you!" Logan cries, coming over to hug Brianne. I see the hazel eyed brunette looking at me. He blushes, then walks over.

"Hi. I'm James."

"Jenna."

"You have the most beautiful eyes."

"Thank you," I reply, blushing. He is very attractive, and he seems nice.

"Your eyes are beautiful too." Now, it is his turn to blush.

"Thanks." I notice Logan getting up.

"Is there any chance of infection in her leg?"

"No, but her immune system will be weak. Right now, she is more susceptible to getting sick."

"Thank you," Logan says fervently. "We should probably get moving. The people that shot us down will be looking for us." We all scramble up.

"Good idea." Brianne gets up and tries her leg. It is steady.

"Let's go," James says.

Logan's P. o. V:

Brianne is limping slightly, but other than that, she is fine. James walks back with Jenna. I can hear them talking. "How did you know what to do for Brianne?"

"I've been a healer for many years. Before she died, my mother taught me everything she knew." Even from a distance, I can tell that she is proud of her knowledge.

"All I can say is thank you. You saved Brianne's life."

"It was nothing." I look back and see them holding hands. Typical James. Always a ladies man. I laugh, then turn to Brianne. She smiles.

"They're a cute couple," she says, before I can speak.

"Agreed." We walk in silence for a while.

"Where are we going?"

"I don't rightly know. Should we ask Jenna?"

"Probably. Hey Jenna?"

"Yes?"

"Could you direct us to the nearest hospital?"

"Yeah, sure. It's about five days travel on foot from here."

"Will you lead us?"

"Sure, no problem." Jenna and James start walking in front of us. We walk until it gets dark. "About a mile ahead is a clearing next to a stream. We can camp there."

"How do you know that?" James asks, amazed.

"I've lived in these woods my whole life. I know every nook and cranny."

"Impressive," James praises her. Jenna blushes.

"Thanks." We walk quickly, and soon we reach the clearing. There is a crystal clear stream running along the edge of the clearing. "The water is safe to drink," Jenna tells us, leaning down to drink. We all follow her example, drinking until we are full. Brianne rolls on her back.

"I can't remember the last time I've tasted such pure water!" she moans. I laugh in agreement.

"I don't think I've ever had that much water at once before!"

"Me either," James groans, massaging his belly.

"We had better start setting up camp," Jenna calls, already clearing sticks from the ground. "Pine needles make really soft bedding. Start gathering." We all start scraping up piles of fallen pine needles. At last, we have enough to cover the ground.

"Goodnight everyone," Jenna says, laying down.

"Goodnight," we all reply in unison. Soon, the clearing is filled with the gentle sounds of snoring. I drift to sleep as well.

Brianne's P. o. V:

I wake up in the middle of the night to intense pain in both of my legs. My muscles burn and ache. I get up and walk around the clearing, trying to get the cramps to stop. I trip over a branch, but I manage to catch myself. Jenna stirs.

"Are you okay?" she asks me.

"No. My legs are cramping up really badly," I grit my teeth.

"Here, I have a root that will help," she replies, taking a root out of her backpack. "Chew on this," she says, handing me the root. I chew on it, and a wonderful, spicy taste explodes in my mouth. Sure enough, the pain soon starts to dull.

"Thank you so much!"

"You're very welcome. Now go back to sleep. We have a long way to travel tomorrow, and you will need all of your energy." I limp back to where I was sleeping. Soon enough, I am asleep.

When I wake up in the morning, bright sunlight is filtering through the treetops. I try to stand up, but find that I can't. Panic spreads through my body. I pull up my pant leg and look at my leg. Logan stirs behind me. "Sweetheart, what's wrong?" Then he catches sight of my legs. "Oh my God! What happened? Your legs are so thin!"

"I don't know! I can't get up!" I panic. Logan offers me his hand.

"Here, let me help you up." I grab his hand and use it to yank myself up. My legs collapse under me. Logan catches me. "I'm going to carry you," he tells me, gently lifting me up into a bridal carry.

"No, I'm too heavy," I protest.

"No, you're not. I'm going to carry you until you can walk."

"Why can't I put any weight on my legs?"

"It's probably a side effect of the healing. You'll be fine in a little while, I'm sure." Logan's voice shakes, and I can tell that he is trying to convince himself as much as me.

"Tell me the truth. What's happening to me?"

"It's too early to tell."

"How soon will you know?"

"I don't know. We have to get moving soon."

"Okay. Put me down until we do, okay?" Logan sets me down.

"Okay." James and Jenna reappear in the clearing. Jenna looks like she's been crying. James grips her hand tightly.

"Where were you? What happened?" I ask, scared. Jenna shakes her head.

"Not now. We have to keep moving." A tear leaks out of the corner of her eye. Logan picks me up, and we start moving. Pain wracks my entire body, traveling along my nerves like wildfire. I clench my teeth, determined not to cry out. Jenna hands me another root, which I chew gratefully. At last, we stop. "We traveled quickly today, but the hospital is still about a two day journey away.

"Thank God. The sooner the better. So many people are dying..." Logan trails off.

"I know. We are almost there," James says. Logan places me on a clear patch of ground, the proceeds to clear a sleeping area.

"We should get an early start tomorrow. I dot know if the extremists are heading to the hospital, but it is the most predictable place to look for me. After all, only a hospital is properly equipped to mass produce the vaccine," Logan tells us.

"Speaking of the vaccine, is it unharmed? The crash may have broken the bottle," Jenna says, looking worried. Logan pulls the bottle out of his pocket. Thankfully, it is unharmed. We all settle down, and within minutes the boys are asleep. Jenna remains awake.

"What were you crying about earlier?" I whisper.

"You," she replies bluntly.

"Why? What's happening to me?"

"I'm a healer. I can sense these things."

"What things?" I exclaim, frustrated.

"I'm so sorry. You have the disease," Jenna sobs.

**Was this chapter as bad as I thought it was? Review!**


	5. Death

**Hey, sorry for taking so long to update. Thanks for the reviews, they really help. This is nearing the end of this story, so I'm not sure when I will have a new story posted. Anyways...**

**Disclaimer: If I had anything to do with BTR, they would all be dead. Be thankful.**

Brianne's P. o. V:

I reel backwards. I can't have the disease! I just can't! Logan and I are supposed to survive and become a couple "How am I going to tell Logan?" I sob.

"Do you value the human race?"

"Yeah, of course. Why?"

"Then don't tell him. He needs the cure to mass produce it. If he uses it on you, everyone will die, besides you and the people that have been treated."

"Okay, but how are I going to hide it?"

"The roots will hide the pain. You have to act like everything is fine."

"I will. You should go to sleep. We don't need you getting sick too," I say bitterly.

"Goodnight Brianne."

"Goodnight Jenna." We both fall asleep.

James's P. o. V:

I feign sleep, knowing that Brianne is going to confront Jenna. Sure enough, I hear Brianne ask. Jenna explains what she told me earlier. I hold my breath, waiting to see if Brianne will agree. Thankfully, she does. I close my eyes and fall into a deep sleep.

When I wake up, the sun is peeking over the horizon. Brianne is awake, massaging her legs. Every once in a while, she winces. I imagine the pain that she is in. Logan is still sleeping soundly. I see movement out of the corner of my eye and realize that Jenna is awake. She pads over to Brianne and hands her a root. Brianne smiles, then starts chewing on the root. I watch the relief spread through her face. She sighs, then settles down again.

About an hour later, Logan wakes up. The first thing he does is check on Brianne. "Are you okay?" he asks her.

"Fine. Why?"

"No offense, but you look terrible."

"I didn't sleep well last night."

"You can sleep on the way. How are your legs today?" Brianne pulls up her pant leg. Logan gasps. "Your muscles are gone! All that's left is skin and bone!" Brianne starts crying.

"Don't worry about me. Just get to the hospital." Logan picks her up, and I wonder how long it will take him to recognize the symptoms. It might be a while. I don't think he's ever actually seen someone with the disease.

"We have to go. Jenna, lead the way." Jenna takes the lead and we continue walking.

Logan's P. o. V:

Brianne's body is even lighter than before. I glance down at her arms. They are as thin, if not thinner than her legs. Her spine stabs into my arms. She's lost so much weight in 24 hours. I don't know what's wrong with her, and I am becoming frustrated. I'm a doctor, after all. All I can do is hope that we make it to the hospital before the extremists find me. Brianne's body twitches in my arms. I glance down at her face, only to see it clenched. Her forehead is covered in a thin sheen of sweat. She's burning up with fever. "Jenna, can you come here for a second?" Jenna turns around and examines Brianne, then hands her a root and some leaves.

"The root is for the pain, and the leaves will break the fever. That's all I can do. I'm sorry." She heads back to the front of our group.

"Logan?" Brianne asks me, her breath coming in short gasps.

"What? What's the matter?"

"I-I-I love you," she gasps.

"I love you too," I say fervently. "Just calm down. We'll be stopping soon," I lie. We will probably continue walking for another two hours. I pick up the pace, knowing that Brianne is getting worse. At last, we stop.

"The hospital is about ten miles from here. We should reach it tomorrow," Jenna tells us, looking relieved.

"We should get moving early." Everyone agrees. Soon, we settle down and are asleep.

Brianne's P. o. V:

Logan falls asleep quickly, no doubt exhausted from carrying me all day. I stay awake, trying to rub the fire out of my limbs. Slowly, I pull up my pant leg and examine my legs. It falls back again quickly as my pus covered legs come into view. I control my gag reflex and examine them more closely. Pus is oozing from every pore. It won't be long now. All I can hope is that I can hide it long enough. As long as Logan doesn't notice, the rest of the US will be saved. I sigh and go to sleep, hoping that the end will come quickly and peacefully.

James' P. o. V:

My eyes shoot open in the middle of the night. Something's not right, I can feel it. I look at Jenna, then at Logan. Both are sleeping soundly. Then, I look at Brianne. She is sitting up, staring at her legs. A small whimper escapes. I watch as a tear rolls down her cheek. Her face is thinner than when we went to bed. Her cheekbones look like they are about to break through her skin. Slowly; I get up, being careful not to make any noise. I crawl over to Brianne. She looks up at me. "Did I wake you?" she asks, trying to keep her voice steady.

"No," I say, trying to calm her. I glance down at her legs, then reel back. They are both covered in an inch of thick, yellow, oozing pus. Her legs are as thin as sticks. "How much longer do you think you have?"

"Anywhere from a couple of hours to a day. It won't be long now." Another tear trickles down her cheek.

"Does Logan know?"

"He can't. He needs the vaccine to make more."

"I know," my voice cracks. Laying on the ground, she looks so broken. "Just hang on. Keep fighting. If we can make it to the hospital, he'll be able to make another one, and you'll be okay."

"I won't make it much longer. I'm so weak already."

"Don't talk like that. You will make it. Don't give up."

"Okay." I see the defeat in her eyes. Slowly, I walk back to my sleeping area. Within minutes, I am asleep.

Logan's P. o. V:

My eyes open slowly, only to flinch shut as they are assaulted by bright light. I must have slept for longer than expected. I let my eyes adjust to the light, then look at Brianne. She looks emaciated, even thinner than yesterday. Her pants are soaking wet. Funny, I don't remember it being hot last night. Jenna and James are already cleaning up the camp and making breakfast. We all eat quickly, eager to continue on our journey. Brianne's body weighs only 65 pounds, at the most. I pick up my pace, determined to make it to the hospital. They will be able to cure her of whatever is ailing her. I know it.

About halfway to the hospital, Brianne starts coughing. Flecks of blood spray from her lips. "I need water!" I cry desperately. Jenna passes me the flask, which I hold up to Brianne's lips. She pushes it away.

"I'm not thirsty." Reluctantly, I hand it back to Jenna. We continue walking in silence. Brianne lays still. My heart stops until I see the faint rise and fall of her chest. She's still alive, but only just.

"Look!" Jenna shouts. I glance up. Looking ahead is a giant white building. "The hospital!" Jenna whispers. It is still about a mile away. I am about to run out into the clearing when Jenna pulls me back. Silently, she points up at the sky. Above us, a helicopter passes. They scan the clearing, then continue on their journey.

"The extremists," I breathe. "Thank you. You just saved my life."

"You would have done the same for me. Let's get to the hospital, quickly!" I dart as fast as I can across the clearing, eyes towards the sky. Jenna and James sprint over as well. We break into a fast jog, careful to avoid open areas. At last, we come to the end of the woods. I can see guards marching back and forth in front of the building. I swear quietly. "How are we supposed to get in?" I hiss.

"I can take Brianne in. They won't suspect me," Jenna offers. Reluctantly, I nod. She takes Brianne and prepares to enter the parking lot. Brianne starts thrashing weakly.

"They'll recognize me from the fence incident!" My heart sinks as I realize that she's right. "Set me down," she gasps. Another coughing fit racks her body. Blood sprays out of her mouth, marking the ground in front of her. She gags and coughs up more blood. I rush to her side, then support her back as she coughs. She sinks back into my arms, the strength gone from her body. "I-I-I love you," she whispers, each word taking its toll on her.

"Just stay quiet. You'll be okay," I sob. She sputters out what I assume is a laugh.

"You and I both know that that's not true. Go produce the vaccine. Save the rest of the US." Suddenly, it dawns on me.

"I can save you! The vaccine!" I smack my forehead, amazed that I didn't recognize the signs sooner.

"Don't even think about it!" Brianne exclaims with surprising force. "It's too late for me." Her breath hitches. "Goodbye Logan. I love you."

"No, don't leave me! I need you!" I wail. Even as I say this, I watch Brianne's eyes dim as she lets out her last breath.

**Well, how was it? Emotional? ;) I don't know how well the death scene played out, so please, let me know. There's still a poll on my page. SPOILER: Someone else dies. Vote who! **


	6. A New Beginning

James' P. o. V:

A tear trickles down my cheek as the scene before me unfolds. Logan collapses on Brianne's body, sobbing. Jenna watches, her eyes filled with tears, but not one of them falls. Logan's sobs rise in intensity until he is wailing. I look towards the hospital doors, to make sure that the guards didn't hear him. No such luck. The guards are heading this way. I drag Logan off of Brianne's body and motion for Jenna to follow me. We hide in the underbrush. When the guards enter the clearing, we dash to the hospital doors. Logan is still crying, but he isn't screaming any more. Luckily, we make it to the hospital undetected. Logan finds a map, then heads for the labs.

The lab that we are headed to is one of the most advanced in the world. Inside, there are machines that can replicate any liquid that is entered in them, including blood. Logan pours some of the vaccine into all of them, then waits for them to start producing. Within minutes, he already has almost 5,000 vaccines. "How are we going to get all of this to the US?" I ask.

"I'll find a way. Right now I need to focus on getting enough vaccines made." We all wait in silence.

About an hour later, we have close to 100,000 vaccines. Miraculously, nobody has interrupted us. With the advanced medicine, I doubt that people get sick that often. Logan stops the machines. "That should be enough. The population was obliterated by the disease." Jenna speaks for the first time since Brianne's death.

"Have you decided how to transport it yet?"

"Can you and Jenna do me a huge favor?"

"Sure."

"I need you two to load this on a plane and take it back to America."

"Not to burst your bubble, but how are you going to distribute it?" I ask.

"Take an army plane. Explain why you need it. They can load the vaccine into a tank and sprinkle it over the US as they fly over."

"How do you know that they'll let us?"

"They have to." Jenna and I get ready to leave the hospital with the vaccines.

"What about you?"

"I'll make sure you guys get home safe." I open my mouth to argue, but Logan cuts me off. "Don't argue. Every minute we waste, an innocent victim dies when they could have been saved. I don't want any more innocent people to die," he says, tearing up. I slip away with no other objections.

Logan's P. o. V:

I know that the extremists won't rest until they find me. They know I'm here, because of Brianne's body. There is only one option. I walk out of the hospital, not bothering to hide myself. As soon as I walk out of the doorway, two pairs of strong hands grip my shoulders. "You've given us a lot of trouble," a harsh voice whispers in my ear. I tense, then relax. If this gives Jenna and James enough time, it will all be worth it.

"Should we kill him now, before he has a chance to escape?"

"Probably would be best." The two extremists lift me off my feet, then carry me behind the building. They push me up against a wall. "Don't try and run, or we will make it much worse."

"How many of you are there?" I inquire, trying to keep my voice steady. One guard shoots the other a questioning look.

"Can't hurt now. He'll be dead in a few minutes."

"We're a relatively small group. There are us two, and the people guarding the fence in the US. Pretty impressive what only a few people can do, isn't it?"

"Can I know the names of my killers?"

"Any other last requests?" the other guard grumbles.

"It's the least we can do," the other says. I can see it in his eyes that he feels sorry for me. "I'm Noah Evans, and that's John Powell." Little did they know I had my phone on in my pocket. The European police are hearing every word in this conversation. Hopefully they can catch them before they flee the country.

"I'm ready now." John points the gun at my chest. Noah turns away, gagging. Briefly, I wonder why he joined the extremists in the first place. John pulls the trigger, but his aim has dropped. Pain explodes through my body. I glance down at my chest, staring almost unbelieving at the small, dark hole that has just opened up in my chest. Blood gushes out, and I collapse on the ground. Noah walks over. I can tell that he doesn't want me to suffer.

"Goodbye." He presses the gun to my head and pulls the trigger.

Jenna's P. o. V:

James and I run to the nearest army base. We come upon a friend of my fathers who is willing to pilot a plane for us. We load the vaccine into the tank, the. Take off for the US. "Where do you think Logan is?" James asks me.

"I don't know. You should call him." James dials Logan's number, then puts the phone on speaker. He is instantly redirected to voice mail. Logan's voice starts speaking.

"If this is James, I want you to know that I am probably dead. The extremists will not be searching for you anymore. I'm sorry it had to come to this, but I had no other choice. Tell Jenna that I thank her for all of her help. Thank you for lending us your boat. Without you, we would have never made it to the airport. I'm sorry for putting your life in danger. This will be the last time you hear my voice. I just wanted to say goodbye." The message ends. James lowers the phone slowly, a tear making its way down his face.

"He gave his life so that we could survive," James sniffles.

"He's gone. I can't believe he's gone." I cry. James wraps his arms around my shoulders.

"I've lost two of my best friends in the past 24 hours."

"I know," I reply, gently rubbing his arm. The pilot's voice comes over the intercom.

"We will start spraying the United States in about an hour." I close my eyes and drift off to sleep.

I wake to James shaking my shoulder. "It's done. We've landed." I glance out the window. A dusty, dry wasteland meets my eyes. There are no houses, just the remains of them. The extremists must have torn them down to make sure that everyone was exposed to the disease. At least the vaccine will have gotten to everyone. The plane door opens, and we both step outside. People are starting to come out of hiding. Some are picking up the remains of houses. Despite the tragedy that took place here, people will recover. This is the start of another new beginning.


End file.
